sun tea in a jar

Ok – this post is definitely not really a “recipe”. But I’ve had so many people remark over the years on how I make sun tea, that I decided it might be worth sharing with the blogosphere! :)

As you’ve probably guessed by the photo, this is my alternate method to making sun tea. Rather than using a huge pitcher (which I did for years) that takes up some serious refrigerator shelf space, I love using mason jars to make smaller, more concentrated batches. It hardly takes up any room in your fridge, and is just as easy as the big pitcher to make. Just fill a jar with water and a tea bag or two, set it out in the sun in the morning, and by dinnertime you have a wonderful batch of tea ready to go! Pour a little bit in your glass filled with ice, and then dilute it with water to the strength you prefer. (And if you’re into sweet tea, add a touch of sweetener!)

Super easy, and it’s a great space saver! I’d definitely encourage you to give it a try!

Your pup is adorable! Sun tea in a jar is the best kind of tea there is–wonderful post! And thanks for the Hawaiian Pita Pizza recipe–my husband and I made them for dinner last Wednesday, and it turned out wonderfully!

I do the same kind of thing when I make tea, except it’s green tea. I keep it in a pitcher in the refrigerator and have a nice cold glass with dinner. Great tips, and your dog is adorable! Henry should make more cameos in your food photos!

Great idea!!
Also, I need to know what kind of dog your pup is. I have a dog that looks so similar to him and he was a rescue – the shelter and the previous owner had no idea. We usually don’t see many dogs that look as similar as he, but when I saw your picture I almost fell off my chair! He’s adorable and could be cousins with my Bruno!

Great idea!
We make sun tea for our family and have been for the last 25 years. Making gallon batches does take up a lot of fridge space, and now that we are empty nesters, we need less.
Sun tea doesn’t actually create bacteria, it actually inhibits it’s growth if the tea is a caffeinated variety. The key is to use clean water and a clean utensils, sun tea jar and lid.

There are solar water purification techniques which all stress cleanliness.

Directly from the Snopes article:
“According to the Centers for Disease Control, using the sun’s rays to make tea can facilitate the growth of bacteria. Tea steeped in a jar on your porch won’t get any hotter than 130 Fahrenheit, about the temperature of a really hot bath and not nearly hot enough to kill nasties lurking in the water or on the tea itself. For that, water needs to be heated to 195 for three to five minutes.”

Hey, I’m Ali!

And I’m so happy you’re here!! So many of my favorite memories in life seem to take place around the table, especially when surrounded by people I love. And of course, all the better when nourished by some seriously delicious food. So I created this site to share my favorite recipes and stories with you, in hopes that they might inspire and help us all to spend more time around the table and savor the good stuff in life. Cheers, friends! more about me »